Husker Corner
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Nebraska football: 10 best seasons by a Husker running back

By Oliver VanDervoort

LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 25: Running back Ameer Abdullah #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs for a touchdown during the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on October 25, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Abdullah set a school record for career all-purpose yards. Nebraska defeated Rutgers 42-24. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 25: Running back Ameer Abdullah #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs for a touchdown during the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on October 25, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Abdullah set a school record for career all-purpose yards. Nebraska defeated Rutgers 42-24. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images) /
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Most Nebraska football fans know the tragic story of Lawrence Phillips. One of the most talented players in college football during the mid-nineties, he had some off the field issues in Lincoln that only got worse once he was out from under the watchful eye of Tom Osborne.

The story of Phillips is always going to include questions about just how good he might have been if he could have straightened out his life.

Phillips burst onto the national scene in 1994 with insane numbers after putting up pretty good ones the year before.

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That year he carried the ball for more than 1,700 yards and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. He had no problem finding the end zone either. Phillips scored 16 times on the ground that season.

While the passing game wasn’t anywhere near what it is these days, Phillips was still a pretty good weapon out of the backfield. He logged 22 catches for 172 yards.

After the 1994 season, Phillips was expected to be a Heisman contender in 1995. Off the field issues ended up keeping him out of the lineup for most of the season.

The former Nebraska football star was still drafted in the first round of the NFL draft once he left the Cornhuskers. Unfortunately, things only got worse for Phillips once he left Lincoln.

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